The new cherry tree ‘PC7146-8’ was developed as part of a controlled breeding program at the Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center at Prosser, Wash. It was selected from among several seedlings that resulted from a cross of ‘Stella’ (seed parent, unpatented) and ‘Beaulieu’ (pollen parent, unpatented) in 1971, and was subsequently asexually propagated by budding at Prosser. Asexual propagation of ‘PC7146-8’ has shown that its desirable characteristics reproduce true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding generations.
‘PC7146-8’ is notable for its very large, high quality dark red fruit and superior flavor. Bloom time for the new cultivar is a few days earlier than ‘Bing’ (unpatented); the fruit of the new cultivar ripens a few days earlier than ‘Bing’. ‘PC7146-8’ is self fertile. All closely observed second and third generation test trees have shown no tendency toward the cherry crinkle-leaf disorder that is common in ‘Bing’ as well as in several other varieties of sweet cherry.
‘PC7146-8’ is distinguishable from its parents ‘Stella’ and ‘Beaulieu’ by its larger size, lower susceptibility to rain-induced splitting, and improved flavor.